How to Write 算 (suàn) — Meaning “to calculate / to count”

Imagine you are using bamboo sticks (⺮) under your eyes (目) while moving them with both hands (廾) to count numbers. This picture of "eyes on bamboo sticks in your hands" helps you recall the meaning of calculate.

Start by writing the bamboo radical (⺮) as two separate halves, then add the eye (目) — make sure it is not too wide. Finally, write the two hands (廾) with two horizontal strokes and a vertical stroke; a common mistake is to forget the last vertical stroke or make the bottom part too small.

算 has the bottom part 廾 (two hands), while 等 has 寺 (temple) at the bottom and means "wait" or "grade." 筋 has 月 (moon) and 力 (strength) at the bottom and means "muscle" or "tendon." Just remember: calculate uses hands, wait uses a temple, and muscle uses strength.

算 is very common in daily life: for math you say 计算, for planning you say 打算, and to stop something you say 算了. Culturally, the abacus (算盘) is a traditional calculating tool that Chinese people still sometimes use, and the character 算 appears in many idioms about careful planning.

Common words containing 算 include: 打算 (dǎ suàn) — to plan; to intend; 算了 (suàn le) — forget it / let it be; 计算 (jì suàn) — to calculate; to compute.